The guards bowed as she entered. She went straight to her room and explained everything to Ava through text.
Ava arrived soon after and came directly to Elaya's room.
"Elaya," Ava said softly, seeing her staring out of the window.
Elaya turned back, and Ava hugged her instantly.
"Are you sure it's Emris?" Ava asked immediately.
"Then we'll catch him right now."
"No, let's wait," Elaya said. Ava nodded.
"You're not working as a flower girl anymore," Ava's voice rose slightly.
Elaya sighed, pressing her lips together.
"We have to continue this act, even if it costs me my life," she said softly.
"I can't take this much risk with your life," Ava said, turning toward the door, her head lowered.
"He hasn't seen my eyes. If he had, I'd be dead already," Elaya said, turning Ava to face her and looking straight into her eyes.
"But today's incident shows he knows about us—not fully, but partially. And that superintendent, I don't trust him at all," Ava said in frustration.
"True. So let's keep it limited—no unnecessary meetings," Elaya replied.
Ava sighed and nodded with a weak smile.
"They can reach here too if we're not careful enough."
"You're right," Elaya said softly,
"but we'll do whatever this case takes—even if it costs us our lives." Elaya said
Flashback
"Kavia, not again. Are we really going to wear this potato suit to catch Mr. Roy?" Elaya said aloud while parking her car in the yard. Kavia stood with a pout on her face, and Elaya laughed.
She stepped out and sighed with a smile.
"Your ideas are way bigger than our little brains, hayati," Elaya said, chuckling softly while cupping Kavia's cheek. Kavia's light blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
"We should go. Ava might be waiting," Kavia raised her eyebrow, then paused for a solid second.
"Wait?? Did you just tease me!! You—" she signed in hand language.
Elaya pressed her lips together and began to run hard, while Kavia chased after her.
After fifteen minutes—
"We're finally here, Ms. Potato," Elaya said, letting her hand rest on Kavia's waist.
"Don't butter me," Kavia signed, and Elaya chuckled again.
"Yes, obviously she butters a lot—if you know, you know," Ava said, smirking at Kavia.
"Shi—" Elaya was about to cuss when Kavia placed her finger on Elaya's lips.
"She never lets me cuss. You wait… I'll make you potato there, Ava," Elaya narrowed her eyes, crossed her arms, and looked at Kavia.
She smiled, but her heart began beating strangely, as if something was about to go wrong. A minute passed in silence. Kavia shrugged Elaya's shoulder and signed:
"Are you fine? What happened?"
Elaya's smile dropped. She sighed.
"I hope you'll handle that murder case well. Inform us from time to time, and take good care," Elaya said, pulling Kavia into a hug.
"Aww," Ava said, joining them. All three hugged together.
Five months later
"Since yesterday, 9 a.m., Kavia hasn't texted us even once. No calls, nothing," Elaya sighed, staring at her phone, while Ava fixed her hair.
"She said she'll be busy. Everything will be alright, InshaAllah," Ava replied, looking at Elaya through the mirror.
"InshaAllah," Elaya said with a weak smile.
"The potato case is over, though," Ava added, leaning against the wall.
Elaya chuckled softly when a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her. She closed her eyes.
"Elaya, you fine?" Ava asked, walking toward her—
Suddenly, Elaya's phone buzzed. A message popped up.
"Detective Kavia critically murdered."
Elaya read only those words. She stood up abruptly, the phone slipping from her hand and shattering on the floor. Her head spun, surroundings blurring.
"Elaya!!" Ava screamed as Elaya collapsed.
"Kavia…" Tears streamed from Elaya's eyes as her heart pounded violently. Ava cried too, picking up the phone and reading the message.
"No… no, no, no!" Ava shouted, dialing the number. An inspector answered.
"Mr. Kang speaking. Sorry for your loss."
Ava cut the call without saying a word. Her mouth trembled too much to speak.
Last night
Emris had tied Kavia to a chair, her mouth taped shut.
His eyes laughed more than his devilish lips. He pouted sarcastically, blinked twice, and bent to her level.
"No reason to even use mouth tape. You can't speak anyway," Emris mocked, eyebrows knitting together.
Kavia tried to move, her blood boiling.
Thank Allah I deleted everything from my phone. He will never reach Elaya and Ava. Ya Allah, I thank You for everything, she prayed silently. Her lips muttered,
"Ashadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh."
Her heart throbbed painfully.Emris pulled out a pipe cutter from his bag and slowly approached her.
"Your hands left a cut on my beautiful face, see?" he said, pointing at himself, smirking as he used the pipe cutter on Kavia's hands.
Kavia's eyes widened. Her mouth screamed without sound, tears streaming down her face. She struggled, but it was useless.
She looked at Emris—his eyes held no mercy, his smile twisted, as if he wanted to suck her blood.
She partially fainted when Emris leaned too close. He stood up, humming, and pulled out a pipe blender.
"Ms. Kavia… this is known as a pipe blender. It will burst the blood vessels of your eyes," he said coldly.
Kavia shut her eyes.
He forced one eye open with his hand.
"Your eye color will look good in my sketchbook," he whispered, plunging the pipe blender tip into her right eye and pulling it out. She fainted, but he pushed it deeper.
He did the same to the other eye.
Removing his gloves, he took out a transparent bag and placed both eyes inside.
"I need money," he muttered.
He wore another pair of gloves and struck Kavia's body fifty times with his hammer.
Flashback ended